At the beginning of the civil castle, the Ming God of War was a little panicked

Chapter 210 Amiable Eunuch Xiao

In an ordinary courtyard, a man squatted under the eaves, holding a bowl in one hand and gnawing on a cornbread in the other.

The woman only drank a bowl of yellow rice porridge, then put down the bowl and chopsticks, took out a basin of clothes and started washing.

While eating, the man murmured, "The production in the field is not good this year. Tomorrow I have to go to the city to find a part-time job. Otherwise, how will I live this year..."

He knew that his daughter-in-law had only eaten thin food for many days and kept dry food for himself. It wasn't that she wasn't hungry, but...there wasn't much food at home.

The woman raised her head and said, "Talk to Zhuangtou later, if someone needs to sew, mend, wash and rinse, they can take it back. Anyway, I am idle at home, and I can earn some money by doing odd jobs." .”

"How about that?"

The man was unhappy, and frowned, "It's our men's business to make money and support the family, and it's not your woman's turn to worry about it!"

The woman knows in her heart that the man is just talking badly, but actually he loves herself.

What's more, if a family needs women to show their faces, they will definitely be pointed at.

However, seeing that the harvest is decreasing every year, if this continues, the days to come will be even more difficult.

At this time, the door suddenly creaked, as if it was pushed open.

The man suddenly remembered that during the day when he was holding the door to watch the excitement, he thought he couldn't see, so he secretly opened the door, as if he forgot to close it!

Damn!

Zhuangtouqian reminded Wanwan, remember not to open the door today, what should I do...

At this time, Zhu Qizhen had already walked in and came to the front of the house.

Then I saw a young man holding a bowl of rice with a cornbread stuffed in his mouth, his face was full of panic.

On the side, a woman stood up in a panic and walked behind the man.

This person is very thin, and she is unhealthy thin. The dress on her body has many patches, but it is very clean, and she looks like a hardworking person.

With a smile on his face, Zhu Qizhen said: "Don't be nervous, we just walked around casually, and when we saw the door was open, we came over to have a look."

The man looked at the three of them, as if they didn't know each other.

In Zhuangzi, the biggest official he has ever seen is Zhuangtou, and even Xiao Gonggong is rarely seen, but during the daytime, when he was watching the excitement through the crack of the door, he seemed to see this person walking in front, and Zhuangtou followed far behind. , whose identity is certainly not simple.

"Great... Grand Master..."

He didn't know how to address him for a while, so he hurriedly put down his rice bowl and said, "Well, it's cold outside, please sit in the room, Xiuniang, go boil the water."

"Hey, hey!"

The woman promised, and hurried to the stove to boil water.

Zhu Qizhen nodded, followed the man into the room, and saw a young child lying on the bed, only one or two years old, sleeping soundly.

There were no chairs in the room, so the man moved some small benches, Zhu Qizhen was not polite, sat down and asked, "What's your name?"

"what?"

The man was a little dazed, as if he didn't hear clearly.

Wynn said softly, "Just what is your name?"

"Oh, oh!"

The man scratched his head and said embarrassingly, "The little one's surname is Wang, and his name is Er Gouzi!"

Wynn shook his head secretly, and said, "I'm asking about your name!"

"My name? My name is also Er Gouzi!"

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand at Wynn and said, "That's Wang Ergou. It's a good name."

Wang Ergou said embarrassingly: "Young people are cheap, it doesn't matter whether you have a name or not."

Zhu Qizhen asked: "Where is someone born with a humble life?"

Wang Ergou scratched his head and said, "Master, you really know how to joke. Aren't we people just mean people?"

Zhu Qizhen turned to look at the child on the bed, and asked again: "Daughter or son?"

"Go back to Elder Master, it's my son!"

At this moment, Wang Ergou's face was filled with a sense of satisfaction and happiness.

"Did you take a name?"

"Not yet, the child is still young, and my father is also illiterate. After a few years, the child will grow up. I will go to the city and find a gentleman to help me choose a name."

In this era, most of the people were illiterate, and it was not always possible to find a scholar in a village. The matter of choosing a name seemed to be very technical. Usually, two catties of bacon, or a basket of eggs, etc. were brought to the village. Ask a literate gentleman to help.

Zhu Qizhen asked suddenly: "Is your son also a cheap man?"

Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment, and then resentfully said: "Naturally it's a cheap life..."

Zhu Qizhen noticed that when he said this, although there was a little unwillingness in his tone, it was more helpless.

It seems that no one wants to be born with a low life.

And the so-called high and low are not just artificial divisions?
"His sons, his son's sons, are they all low life?"

Wang Ergou's eyes began to look lonely, and then he became self-deprecating, and said slowly: "I'm afraid...that's the only way..."

Zhu Qizhen sighed, and said: "Don't you want your descendants to come out of the low life? Why are you born to be a lowly person?"

"Small... I never thought about this..."

Wang Ergou's voice was very low, even a little choked up. He usually worked hard from morning to night and worked hard.

Who wouldn't want their son to be a prominent person, to be a high official or something?

But is this realistic...

Zhu Qizhen stood up and said, "This child is about to witness the rise of Ming Dynasty, and a new era will follow. Let's call him Wang Xinming!"

Wang Ergou was taken aback for a moment, and immediately came to his senses, and hurriedly said, "Thank you for the name, Elder Master!"

Although I don't understand what it means, but at least save the money to buy bacon!
Zhu Qizhen nodded, turned around and went out.

Wang Ergou hurriedly said: "My lord, the water will boil immediately, drink some water before leaving!"

Wynn turned around to stop him and said, "Okay, I won't drink the water, you go back!"

Seeing the backs of the three people going away, Wang Ergou slapped his thigh and said, "How do you write the characters Xinming?"

His wife, Xiu Niang, rolled his eyes at him and said, "Why don't you let that old man write it down for you?"

"Didn't I forget just now..."

Wang Ergou felt very annoyed, he looked like a nobleman at first glance, and his son was considered a bit noble, but he was so happy that he forgot to ask him how to write.

Xiu Niang seemed to think of something, so she asked: "The head of the house, tell me, is the young old man just now the distinguished guest during the day? At that time, the head of the village didn't dare to approach, and even Eunuch Xiao could only serve by his side. , won't be a prince?"

"What nonsense, the prince has such a precious body, what are you doing here in this poor village in winter?"

Wang Ergou analyzed decently: "I see, most of the people who came here are the father-in-law in charge. Look at the father-in-law Xiao in the village, he is so majestic. The one who came today must be bigger than him!"

Xiu Niang nodded again and again, and said suspiciously: "But, what is the father-in-law from the palace doing in our Zhuangzi? It can't be to collect the rent, right? Haven't you paid it all this year?"

Having said that, she sighed, with some resentment in her tone.

"Hey, the harvest is not as good as every year. This year our family finished paying the food, and the ration is [-]% less than last year. Seeing that the child is growing up every day, I don't know when the remaining food will last..."

Wang Ergou said: "Tomorrow I will go to the capital to see if there are noble people who can hire workers. If I am lucky enough to meet a kind-hearted family and have a long-term job, then I will not worry about it."

Xiu Niang shook her head, feeling secretly sad. In the past, her husband also went to work in the capital during the slack season. However, the dignitaries in the capital all have their own servants and long-term workers. How can those rich landlords in villages and towns be willing to spend money to hire people?
At this time, the sky was completely dark, and the two of them went to bed early. People in the countryside work at sunrise and rest at sunset, because... they can't light a lamp.

Early the next morning, Xiu Niang had already made rice porridge and steamed buns, and said, "You should bring enough dry food when you go out, and come back early if you can't find work."

After Wang Ergou finished his rice porridge, he put two steamed buns on his body and said, "Then I'm leaving!"

Xiu Niang stopped him and said: "Take two more, go out and work hard, how can two corn buns be enough?"

Wang Ergou chuckled and said, "The ones who work in the city are in charge of food. Don't worry, I can eat enough. Keep those two cornbreads for you to eat!"

At this moment, I suddenly heard the sound of a gong outside, and immediately after, someone yelled loudly: "Listen, folks, the heads of every family have gathered at the grain drying field, and Xiao Fengyu has something important to announce!"

Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment, and said: "Could it be that the palace thinks that we have not paid enough food, and the nobleman who came yesterday really came to levy more?"

Xiu Niang was also worried about this, her face was full of sadness, and she sighed again and again.

Wang Ergou put down the cornbread and said, "I'll go and have a look. You stay at home and take care of the baby!"

The grain drying field was covered with a light layer of white snow. At this time, quite a few people had arrived, and they were all whispering and making various guesses.

However, everyone's conclusions are not good. Everyone is uneasy, and there is a gloomy atmosphere in the air.

After about a quarter of an hour, Xiao Jing came down to the yard followed by Zhuangtou.

Zhuangtou stepped forward first and said to the people: "Eunuch Xiao called you here today to announce a few important things, and these things are all good things, great good things!"

Everyone looked at me, I looked at you, and the crowd started discussing again.

Xiao Jing looked at the crowd in the stands, coughed with a sharp voice, and everyone immediately quieted down.

"Do you know which nobleman came yesterday?"

Everyone shook their heads, Wang Ergou crowded in the crowd, although he saw the nobleman with his own eyes, he didn't know anything, so he shook his head with everyone.

Xiao Jing clasped his fists in both hands, cupped his hands in the direction of the capital, and said respectfully: "The one who came yesterday is the current Holy One!"

hum!
There was an explosion in the crowd. Although no one went out, most of them glanced through the crack of the door. Just that young man is the current emperor?

Wang Ergou was even more stunned on the spot, his mind went blank, and he only repeated one sentence, the current sage, the current sage...

The emperor came to my house?

Also named my son?

what do you say that is……

When everyone heard that Lord Long Live had come to Huangzhuang, they had all kinds of expressions, some were scared, some expressed doubts, some were trembling with excitement, some were blushing, and most of them were like Wang Ergou, standing on the spot in a daze .

In this society where imperial power is supreme, not to mention ordinary people, even the vast majority of officials will never have the chance to see the emperor in their lifetime.

Seeing that the scene was a little out of control, Zhuangtou hurriedly shouted: "Quiet, quiet! Listen to Eunuch Xiao!"

After a while, everyone's emotions calmed down, and the scene began to return to calm.

Xiao Jing continued: "The emperor is sympathetic to you and others that life is not easy, and the payment of food for you and others will be changed from seventeen to thirteen, starting from next year!"

As soon as the voice fell, the audience roared again.

This time, it was even more exciting. Everyone fell to their knees and kowtowed. The rent dropped from [-]% to [-]%.

In this way, each household no longer needs to worry about food and clothing, which can be described as a great kindness.

Seeing everyone kowtow, Xiao Jing hurriedly sideways to avoid, this gift is for the emperor, he is just a messenger, I can't bear it!

"This is the emperor's grace. Our family can't bear your big gift. Get up first. Our family has not finished talking. There are still good things to come!"

Everyone stood up one after another and looked at Xiao Jing on the stage with expectant eyes.

I didn't realize before that Eunuch Xiao was so amiable.

"The emperor also ordered our family to buy some livestock and distribute them to each household. If the family is rich enough to raise cattle and sheep, if the family is nervous, you can also raise some chickens and ducks. When these livestock grow up, the village will buy them back at the market price!"

After everyone listened, they started to make noise again, and someone asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Xiao, do I need to pay for adopting livestock?"

Xiao Jing shook his head and said: "All are distributed free of charge, but they will be registered and compiled. If you can't pay them at that time, your cost will be deducted!"

Everyone was even more excited when they heard that no money was required.

With the current standard of living, how can one be willing to eat meat? If the livestock are taken home, they should not be offered as offerings to their ancestors!

At the very front, there was an elderly man who knelt down on the ground, cupped his hands above his head, and said with trembling lips: "Old man, I have lived for more than 50 years, and I have never seen such a holy king. We are all like ants. It was the Emperor Meng who personally intervened, the old man, even if I die now, I am content! Holy Monarch!"

Everyone was infected one after another, and kowtowed, mixed with sobs.

Xiao Jing felt something in his heart, and said: "Get up, our family has something to order!"

When everyone heard that there was still something to do, they stopped crying and looked expectantly.

"Our Zhuangzi is going to build a textile workshop. The men can prepare it now. When the blueprint is issued by the court, the construction will start in the spring. The emperor has specially instructed that building a workshop is not a labor service. All participants will be charged ten coins per day. Money, take care of two meals!"

Everyone has been moved to the point of numbness. In the past, such errands were all contributed by each family. They came out from home in the morning, brought lunch, and worked hard all day.

Now they are paying wages and taking care of food, and besides, they are right at the door of the house. Where can I find such a good thing?

(End of this chapter)